How to remove EXIF data on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac
Every phone and computer has a built-in way to remove some photo metadata. None of them remove all of it. Here is what works on each device.
The quickest way that works everywhere is to open the photo in an EXIF remover that rebuilds the image without metadata, such as Pixhide. Built-in options exist on every system, but most only remove the location and leave camera, date and serial tags.
Comparison of methods
| Method | Removes GPS | Removes all EXIF | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone share Options | Yes | No | HEIC, JPG |
| Android camera setting | New photos only | No | JPG |
| Windows Properties | Yes | Mostly | JPG, TIFF |
| Mac Preview | Yes | No | Most |
| ExifTool (command line) | Yes | Yes | All |
| Pixhide EXIF remover | Yes | Yes | JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC |
iPhone
Remove location when sharing
- Open the photo in Photos and tap Share.
- Tap Options at the top of the share sheet.
- Turn off Location, then tap Done and share.
Remove location from the photo itself
- Open the photo and swipe up, or tap the info button.
- Tap Adjust next to the map.
- Choose No Location.
Camera model, lens and capture time stay in the file with both methods. To stop location being saved in the first place: Settings, Privacy and Security, Location Services, Camera, Never.
Android
- Open the Camera app and go to its settings.
- Turn off Location tags (named "Save location" on some phones).
That only affects new photos. For existing ones, Google Photos can remove a photo's location from its details panel on many devices, and has a setting to remove location from items shared by link. Device, date and other EXIF tags remain.
Windows
- Right click the photo in File Explorer and choose Properties.
- Open the Details tab.
- Click Remove Properties and Personal Information.
- Choose Create a copy with all possible properties removed and click OK.
This works well for JPG. PNG and HEIC files usually show nothing to remove even when they contain metadata.
Mac
- Open the photo in Preview.
- Choose Tools, Show Inspector, then the info tab.
- Open the GPS tab and click Remove Location Info.
In the Photos app you can use Image, Location, Hide Location, and untick Location when exporting. Camera and date tags remain in both cases.
Command line: ExifTool
For developers and photographers who process many files, ExifTool by Phil Harvey removes everything with one command: exiftool -all= photo.jpg. Add -r and a folder name to clean a whole folder. It keeps a backup of each original unless you add -overwrite_original.
One-click option on any device
Open Pixhide EXIF remover in any browser, choose up to 20 photos, check what was found and download clean copies. It handles JPG, PNG, WebP and iPhone HEIC the same way on every device, and the photos are processed locally, never uploaded.
To only check what a photo contains, use the photo metadata viewer. To only remove the location, use Remove GPS from photo.
Strip all EXIF data from up to 20 photos in one click.
Open the EXIF removerFrequently asked questions
Does taking a screenshot remove EXIF data?
A screenshot does not carry the original photo's GPS or camera tags, but it has its own metadata and lower quality. Removing EXIF from the original is cleaner.
Does WhatsApp remove EXIF data?
When sent as a regular photo, WhatsApp usually strips most metadata. When sent as a document or file, the original is delivered with all EXIF intact.
Does removing EXIF data reduce quality?
Windows, Preview and ExifTool remove tags without touching pixels. Pixhide re-encodes at high quality, which is not visibly different, and PNG stays lossless.
Is it safe to use an online EXIF remover?
Only if the photo is not uploaded. Many online tools send your file to a server. Pixhide processes the photo inside your browser.